THE chiefs and people of Tamale once again demonstrated their unity of purpose when they turned out in their numbers to celebrate this year’s annual Damba Festival with pomp and pageantry.

The successful celebration of this year’s Damba comes in the wake of a similar feat chalked up during the Fire Festival in the metropolis a couple of months ago where no incident was recorded.

This year’s Damba festival was unique in the sense that it was the first in five years after the Dagbon crisis that led to the murder of the late Dagbon King, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani 11 and many others at Yendi in March 2002.

Since the unfortunate incident, all traditional and customary practices in the Dagbon Kingdom were put on hold until April last year, when the body of the late King was finally interred and his son, Kampakuya-Na Abdulai enskinned as the Regent of Dagbon.

Residents, including children and visitors alike who had never witnessed the celebration of this time-tested festival, had to manage their way through the thick crowd to the Dakpema Chief’s Palace to catch a glimpse of the immaculately dressed sub-chiefs dancing on their beautifully adorned horses.

By 5 pm, almost all the chiefs, accompanied by their respective retinues and “warriors” from the suburbs, had gathered at the palace to display the rich culture that is associated with the festival.

Dressed in very colourful hand woven smocks in different sizes and shapes, they danced to the thunderous beats of the gong-gong drums amidst the deafening sounds of musketry.

The festival, that is a merger between Islam and traditional is celebrated by majority of Muslim dominated communities in the north and largely by Dagombas.

It is said to mark the birth and subsequent “outdooring” of Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W), the Founder of Islam. It is used to offer sacrifices to show appreciation to Allah and also chart a new course for the coming years.

However, the Dagbon Regent in Yendi has not observed this year’s festival, although he gave his assent to the people in other areas of the Kingdom to celebrate the occasion.

In a statement signed by him and issued to the press in Tamale, the Kampakuya-Na explained his decision not to participate to include the fact that, the Northern Regional security Committee (REGSEC) had sanctioned the celebration of the festival by the rival gate in the Dagbon chieftaincy divide, the abudu Royal Gate at a different venue independent of the Gbewah Palace.

“I have decided, in consultation with the Kuga-Na and my elders, not to proceed with the celebration of the festival in order to avoid any tension or untoward incidents by lawless elements,” he further stated.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that, a section of the people in the Dagbon traditional seat of Yendi successfully participated in the festival.

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